A Brother's Love
by Caroline Michelle
Summary: A short vignette on the events surrounding Nuriko and Kourin's past.


In the summer of 1999, I took an Early Childhood education class. We were discussing various ways of getting children to write stories. Our teacher assigned us all to write a two page story based on a "topic" she chose. Our group got "a creative story based on characters from a TV show or movie." Talk about luck... writing fanfiction for class! So I wrote this one. 'A Brother's Love' is a variation on Kourin's story... since it could only be two pages, I twisted some things to get it to fit. Hope you don't mind! (And needless to say, I got some very strange looks about it... heheh) ^__^ 

This is a very old fic and I like to think my writing has improved since then... but that may be wishful thinking. ^__^ 

A Brother's Love by Caroline  
Warnings: POV, angst, wierdness...   
Spoilers: spoilers about Nuriko's past (can't remember which ep... 29 maybe?)   
Comments: either here or to chibirei@hotmail.com  
Disclaimers: Nope, don't own it. Don't own the movie either. 

      
A Brother's Love  
----------------------

     "Ryuuen-oniisama!" a voice called from behind me. I turned to see my little sister rushing to catch up.  
     "Kourin-chan? What are you doing here?"  
     "I wanted to go with my big brother! Can I go fishing with you? Please?"  
     "Sure," I said. I could never say no to Kourin. She was nine, a year and a half younger than I, but we looked enough alike to be twins. We were inseparable, my sister and I. But I knew that would all change soon. When Kourin turned eleven she would be taken from our village on the outskirts of the capital to begin training to be a courtier in the Emperor's court. I didn't know how we would handle the separation, but we had two more years before we came to that fork in the road.  
     Kourin and I settled ourselves on the river bank. We sat in silence, enjoying each other's company. It was afternoons like this I would miss when Kourin was gone. She must have been reading my mind.  
     "Ano, Ryuuen… will you miss me when I go to court?"  
     "Of course little sister. I'll miss you terribly!"  
     Kourin was silent for a moment. "Then I won't go!" she exclaimed suddenly.   
     I looked at her shocked. "But… you have to! Being chosen to be trained as a courtier is a great honour to our family. Besides, you'll get to meet the Emperor! And he will choose his bride from the courtiers." I nudged her and winked. "And if he chooses you, I'll be the older brother of the Empress!"  
     Kourin blushed. "Do you think he'd really choose me?"  
     "Of course! You take after your older brother in looks! Who could resist that?" I winked at her again.  
     She stood up and thrust her arm in to the air. "Then I'll do it! I'll go to court and marry the Emperor!"  
     I laughed. "You can do anything you set your mind to, little sister."  
     She giggled. "And maybe you can come live with us, Ryuuen-oniisama."  
     "I'd like that, Kourin-chan." I turned my face from hers so she wouldn't see the sad look in my eyes. She had a duty to fulfill, and even though I didn't want her to go, I would see to it that she would go through with it. I shook thoughts of separation from my mind as I showed her how to bait the fishing line. I wanted to enjoy our time together. She would be gone before I knew it. And she was.

      
      
     Two weeks after I had convinced Kourin to go to court, I was walking home from the marketplace. I had gone there to find a birthday present for my little sister. She would be turning ten in a few days, and I had wanted to get her something special. I had all but given up hope when I saw the perfect gift. It was an ornamental hair comb. It would look lovely in her hair when she went to court. I knew she'd love it.  
     "Oniisama!" I turned to see Kourin running towards me from across the street. I quickly stuffed the comb into my shirt so she wouldn't see it. I waved at her and waited for her to catch up. She was always in such a hurry to catch up to me. After all, I was her beloved older brother. Perhaps that's why she wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings.  
     She ran out into the street, never noticing the horse-drawn carriage. I called out for her to stop… but it was too late.   
     Kourin lay in the street. I walked to her, whispering her name. "Kourin? Kourin?" I held her lifeless hand in mine. No, it couldn't be. She was just unconscious. I started shouting for someone to help my sister but no one moved. Finally someone touched me on the shoulder. "Ryuuen. She's gone."  
     I stared at him in horror. No. NO! I WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT! I ran home, believing with all my heart Kourin would be there, waiting for me. I rushed into her room, her new comb in my hand. "Kourin? Where are you? I got you a present!" There was no answer.  
     I searched everywhere for her, the next day and the next, refusing to believe Kourin was gone. Finally my father had me brought to his study.   
     "Ryuuen, you must stop this. Kourin is dead. It would be best if you forgot about her."  
     My eyes widened in shock. Forget about Kourin, my sister, my heart-twin? The one who looked up to me? The one who was determined to go to court and marry the Emperor because that's what she thought I wanted her to do? NO!  
     I sat in Kourin's room, wishing I had been the one killed. Why? Why did it have to be my cherished little sister? She hadn't even begun to fully live!  
     That's when it hit me. If Kourin couldn't live for herself, I would live for her. I got out one of her dresses and put it on. I let my hair down from the traditional bun the boys in my village wore. It was nearly as long as Kourin's. I fixed my hair the way she did, in braids with a few strands framing my face. Finally I took out the comb I… no, Ryuuen… had bought and put it in my hair. Perfect, just how I knew it would be.  
     My father was wrong. Kourin wasn't gone. I touched my reflection in the mirror. "Forget about her? Never! She's not dead. She can live through me. I am Kourin."  
     I picked up Kourin's… my favourite doll and began playing tea with her. After all, a lady would need to know how to perform the tea ceremony when she went to court. I'll make Ryuuen-oniisama proud of me. Just like he wanted.  
      
_~Owari_

ehhhh... I told you it was strange... 


End file.
